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Memorandum respecting the Department of Marine Invertebrates, exclusive of the Mollusca, for the six months ending June 30, 1885. 

Richard Rathbun, Curator.
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Department of Marine Invertebrates, Richard Rathbun, Curator, reportas that The most important addition to this department was made by the U.S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross in April, on her return from a three months cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, mainly spent in investigating the grouper and red-snapper fishing grounds off our southern coast. The collection turned over to the Museum was much larger and contained many more novelties then that made by the Albatross in the same region and the Caribbean Sea the previous year, and the unassorted materials filled nearly 1,000 packages of all sizes. Of most interest was a series of several hundred specimens of sea lilies, mostly collected off Havana, Cuba, and representing the various stages of growth of two species of Pentacrinus and one of Rhizocrinus. Over 30 species of Echini or sea urchins were also contained in the collection, and other divisions of the Echinodermata, as well as the Coelerterata, Crustacea and Mollusca, were very fully represented. The bathymetrical range covered by these explorations extended from the shore level to a depth of 1467 fathoms. Prof. A.E. Verrill, of New Haven, has transferred to the Museum over 1,000 packages of identified specimens resulting form the explorations of the Fish Commission in former years.